In-Office Therapy or Drugs?

The Prostate Research Study completed by the Harris Interactive Group in 2007 showed that:

Only about 1 in every two of the patients surveyed are satisfied with the effectiveness of their medication.1

77% of patients surveyed are interested in having an in-office procedure.1

61% of patients currently on medication would actually prefer an in-office procedure.1

Unfortunately, of those patients, 83% reported that their Urologist didn’t suggest an in-office procedure as a treatment option for their BPH.1

Why aren’t patients happy?

Medication provides limited and often unpredictable results. 48% of patients do not have clinically significant symptom improvement defined as patients with less than a 4 point reduction in AUASS.2 Unfortunately, 84% of non-responders continue to take their drugs.2 In addition, the MTOPS study showed only a 5.6 point reduction in IPSS at one year and a flow rate improvement of 2.0. In office therapy results were shown to be twice as effective at one year.5

Note: The data for BPH Medications, Cooled ThermoTherapy,™ and PROSTIVA® were not collected in a head-to-head study. Direct comparisons cannot be made.

Drugs have side effects. Medications have also been shown to cause significant side effects including fatigue, headache, dizziness, impotence, loss of sex drive, chronic sinus congestion, or low blood pressure. It is also important to note, that 79% of patients experiencing adverse events continue to take their drugs.3 Perhaps most critically, drugs can mask the symptoms of more serious diseases such as prostate cancer.

Prescriptions are expensive. The ongoing prescription costs of BPH medications can be an expensive and inconvenient burden. BPH drugs must be taken daily so those costs will be incurred for as long as you have to take those medications. For example, the estimated cost for generic combination drug therapy (Tamsulosin and Finasteride) is greater than $1,700 per year.6

What is the solution?

When patients aren’t satisfied with their current medical therapy, it is time to educate them on the benefits of in-office therapies such as Cooled ThermoTherapy™ and Prostiva® RF Therapy. The benefits and risks of all BPH treatment options should be explained to patients with moderate to severe symptoms who are bothered enough to consider therapy.1